IND vs SA: It Must Be Up There With Some Of The Best Test Series To Have Played In South Africa – Mark Boucher On India vs South Africa 3-match Series
Updated - 15 Jan 2022, 12:17 PM
Proteas head coach Mark Boucher feels that the recently concluded 3-match Test series between India and South Africa is among one of the best Test series playing in South Africa.
Dean Elgar-led South Africa won the three-match Test series against India by 2-1. The Proteas team lost the first Test match in Centurion but they bounced back strong and went on to win two consecutive games in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
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Meanwhile, Mark Boucher said that South Africa’s Test series win against India will be among the team’s one of the best Test series wins in history.
“ To put it into perspective we have lost three tosses. A lot of people, including some of the media, had written us off after day one of the first Test of the series,” Boucher said at the post-match media interaction.
“So, to come back after losing the first Test badly and then to win the second Test and now win the third Test is pretty incredible. It will rank up there — in the top five must be. Where we’ve come from, the on-field and off-field stuff… It’s good to get some good results.”
“The way the whole Test series was played was hard-fought, some good cricket, it must be up there with some of the best Test series to have played in South Africa.”
“It’s certainly something that we can take a lot of confidence from. This team is on a mission, really. We’ve been through some tough times of late and they have driven in a way that is pretty special.”
“I’m incredibly proud of where they come from in a short period of time and the results are starting to come through now which is fantastic.”
Our feet are firmly on the ground, We know that we’re not the finished product – Mark Boucher
Boucher mentioned that he knows the Proteas team are not the finished product and they have got goals ahead.
“Our feet are firmly on the ground. We know that we’re not the finished product. We’ve got goals ahead of us. So we will enjoy this win, These guys deserve it. They’ve been through a lot together as a unit. So it’s just nice to see that.”
“It’s a close knit group of guys. The World Cup was a massive disappointment, although we played some good cricket throughout. It is just something that was really needed in our dressing room to put the hard work in,” Mark Boucher said.
Mark Boucher added that he is not surprised by the character shown by the team because South Africa have got amazing leaders like Dean Elgar and Temba Bavuma.
“It doesn’t surprise me because you got Dean as well who’s that sort of character who leads from the front.”
“You’ve got Temba (Bavuma) as the vice-captain who is the same fighter with that spirit in him, so you’ve got two leaders like that who the guys are going to follow.”
“The guys stood up with regards to their own games as well. To put these things into perspective about where this team is and where the Indian team is… They are probably the best team in world cricket Test-wise at the moment.” Mark Boucher said.
“They’ve gone over to England, beat England, beat Australia in Australia. So this is something that our boys won’t take for granted.”
South Africa batsman Keegan Petersen won the ‘ Player of the Match ’ award for his brilliant batting against India in the 3rd match of the three-match Test series at Newlands, Cape Town. Also, he won the ‘ Player of the Series award.
In the 3-match series, he batted in all 6 innings and scored 276 runs at an average of 46 with his highest score being 82 runs. He scored three half-centuries in the series and was the highest run-getter as well. Also, Youngster Marco Jansen was one of the top performers of South Africa on the bowling side of things. Head coach Mark Boucher lauded the duo and said:
“You get two youngsters who have just come into the side. Both of them deserve their little spotlights.”
“Keegan probably didn’t start off as well in the West Indies as he would have liked. Then he didn’t start off too well at the Supersport Park.”
“But he’s always shown signs of the player that we are seeing right now. He just stuck to his guns. He’s in a good position to have a guy like Dean next to him. He (Dean) really backs him.
“He’s a tough nut and batting at No. 3 in Test cricket, you have got to be tough, you got to know your game, technically you got to be sound as well. Hopefully, he just gets better, better and better.”
“It’s a very tough position to play in South Africa in our conditions, batting at No. 3. The way that he’s come through the series, I’m at a loss for words. In a big series, against big players and to get the Man of the Series, he fully deserved it,” Boucher said of Petersen.
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India vs South Africa Keegan Petersen Marco Jansen Mark Boucher South Africa national cricket team Temba Bavuma
